What Who Are You Currently Watching? - Part the Third

[Rob McCow]

I’m quite surprised at the slating which the story generally gets as I quite enjoyed it overall.

I think Meglos's biggest weaknesses are the appalling lighting and the terrible wigs. The lighting in Meglos's ship especially is way, way too bright and makes the whole thing look like The Tomorrow People. If those two things had been fixed, I'm sure people would remember it a lot more fondly.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Did Castrovalva Part One last night. Lovely stuff. I'd almost forgotten it's almost all set on the TARDIS for the whole episode! My Dad made a comment about Davison's cricketing gear being unlike the Doctors that had gone before which I took him to task over.

[Antony Cox]

I think Meglos's biggest weaknesses are the appalling lighting and the terrible wigs. The lighting in Meglos's ship especially is way, way too bright and makes the whole thing look like The Tomorrow People. If those two things had been fixed, I'm sure people would remember it a lot more fondly.

A good point, but I those two factors are almost a given in most 80's stories so I tend not to notice them!

[Si Hunt]

"The Exploding Planet".

The mystery is solved, then (sort of). We get one scene where the Doctor and co are invited into the Rills spacecraft to "look at them". And will we ever know how this was directed? The recons has four Rills sitting talking to them, but I've a feeling there was only one prop, so either they used mirrors or some trickery, or we only saw one. You never know, perhaps we never saw what the Doctor, Vicki and Steven were looking at.

Episode 4 is by far the best, and would have been a slightly better choice to come back. But never mind, it could have been Episode 2, with no Rills at all in it!

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

Angela & I are off for a few days away, I want to take a couple of Classic Doctor Who's. Any suggestions as to what DVD might entertain a New Who fan?

[Rob McCow]

Terror of the Zygons is a safe bet, but sadly it's not out on DVD. Damn!

Go for Revelation of The Daleks, Survival, The Aztecs and City of Death, I reckon.

[Andrew Curnow]

Remembrance of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks and The Visitation I'd say.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Doing Castrovalva Parts 2-4. My Dad seems to not have seen this before so waiting for an interesting reaction in a minute when Neil Toynay's identity is revealed

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

"I thought so" said he but I'm still glad I didn't spoil it for him as I thought he'd seen it before when I put it on.

Now joined the Invasion of the Dinosaurs ep 1 in colour brigade

[SiHart]

I had the odd urge to watch genesis of the Daleks yesterday, so I'm doing that. Up to episode 4 now and something nasty was waiting for the Doctor, Harry and Sarah at the end of the ventilation shaft.

[Nyder]

What a cliffhanger! I vividly remember it, as a terrified 6 year old!

[Dino]

Finished off The Seeds Of Death. Forgot the der-dul--er-der-dul-ler-der homing beacon sound. And afterwards I put the disc back into it's box and I don't know what happened but my hand jerked and it went sailing into the bin. Another moment in my life I wish there was someone there to laugh.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

As well as some of the Invasion of the Dinosaurs extras last night I also finally saw the CGI'd version of Day of the Daleks. Some of it is perhaps a little OTT but definitely worth seeing for the Briggs Dalek voices and the new series style exterminations!

[Antony Cox]

Frontios
Another story which I haven’t watched for some years, with the exception of a viewing last year at a gathering at Si & Steve’s, though there was a lot of chatter going on so I wasn’t really concentrating properly.

It’s certainly one of Davison’s better stories, with a strong plot and an interesting twist half way through. The lighting is particularly good for an eighties story, very somber and atmospheric for the most part. However, it suffers from the usual budgetary restrictions of production during this period, something which always appears magnified if the story, setting and monsters are ambitious, as is the case here.

One thing which sticks out like a sore thumb in Frontios is the fact that Doctor is paranoid about the Timelords discovering that he’s intervened in the situation. On one hand I can understand this given the significance of it being the last Earth colony, final chance for human survival, etc., but on the other hand I don’t recall the Fifth Doctor being quite as worried about this in other stories where the plot concerns situations equally as pivotal, and indeed I don’t think the whole ‘interference’ issue is pushed home quite so obviously in many other stories throughout the whole of the series, though I’m sure I’ll be corrected on this issue (I would exclude TTOATL as the most obvious example as this is dealt with as an accusation against The Doctor rather than he himself having an issue with it).

Overall I quite enjoyed Frontios and it seems to be fairly well regarded by fandom in general.

[SiHart]

I think Davison gives one of his best performances in it. He's well written for in this one and gives his all, clearly enjoying being a little more eccentric and witty than usual.

[Stuart Wallis]

Couldn't agree more!

[duncan]

The Curse of the Black Spot was watched this morning and I'm starting an exercise programme on the treadmill at home tonight so I plan to set up the portable DVD player and watch The Doctor's wife while I'm walking.

[Paul Clement]

I've just finished watching Delta and the Bannermen with Kieran and Aidan. They enjoyed it, and I thought it was better than I remembered.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Just watched The UNIT Family Parts One and Two and some other extras from Day of the Daleks. Does anyone know if we'll get a Part Three of that series?

[Dirk Gently]

I watched Keeper of Traken & Logopolis over the last few days. Must get to watch Castrovalva at some point soon.

[Nyder]

It's decision time again. What Who shall I order on DVD rental? I'm leaning towards Talons cos I want to start getting into BF's Jago & Litefoot series, plus the original is a cracking story anyway, but then again.... I'm really intrigued by Ghost Light and I so want to start liking Sylv stories, but then again.... I really do want to see Robots Of Death again, but then again .... with all this talk of Four To Doomsday I want to watch that because I remember taping the first episode and watching it over and over and over again (I was a strange child), but then again .... I've neglected watching Pat Troughton for far too long..

Oh what's a boy to do......

[Stuart Wallis]

You could go to bed early...

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I'm meant to be watching Four to Doomsday next but haven't got there yet.

I unexpectedly found myself at home on Friday and watched Survival and yesterday I finally watched The Android Invasion plus the various extras. How on earth had I never seen that wonderful story before?

[Si Hunt]

I watched "The Android Invasion" Episode 1. As an EPISODE it's superbly creepy and well done, and has a lovely air of menace. There's chuckles to be had why Stygrron is holed up in the wall behind the extractor fan waiting for people to come past though. How long's he been there? Does he routinely peer out when Crayford walks past and shout "Boo!"?

Si.

[duncan]

I had an hour in the office on my own first thing today, so while some data reports were running, I watched Let's Kill Hitler.